The Disturbing Case Of Inter Milan

"This wonderful night bestows us with the colours of our crest: black and azure against a gilded backdrop of stars. It shall be called Internazionale because we are brothers of the world."

— 9 March 1908, Foundation of Inter Milan.

Once upon a time, FC Internazionale romped to an unprecedented treble, completing the much-coveted triangle of Scudetto, Coppa Italia, and Uefa Champions League. Quite frankly, this "Mourinho machine" remains the best team Italian football has produced since Arrigo Sacchi's Associazione Calcio Milan.

The Champions League triumph over Bayern proved the cherry on the icing of a historic campaign: One characterized by superb defensive organization, resourcefulness, and creativity in the middle of the park, only surpassed by predatory instincts and unerring clinical ability to convert limited chances in the opposite half.

2010 belonged to Inter Milan. With the help of Jose Mourinho's diabolical methods, Interisti conquered the world, but once the "Wizard of Setubal" made the switch to Real Madrid, the script changed, the lights went off, and things gradually fell apart.

Since winning the treble and the Super Coppa Italiana in the same year, Inter has gone trophyless in eight years, a far cry from the success they enjoyed even before the Mourinho era. Yet, in a remarkable twist of fortunes, here they are, locked in a Champions league group consisting the likes of Barcelona, Tottenham, and PSV Eindhoven.

The long walk back to Europe got a tremendous boost in the first half of 2017/18; Luciano Spalletti's men started their campaign with twelve wins and four draws. Although a poor run of form saw them slip out of the Champions League bracket, the dramatic win vs Lazio on matchday finale sent Inter Milan back where they belong.

Yet, for a team playing Champions League football for the first time in six years, the Nerazzurri look a shadow of Jose Mourinho's treble-winning machine. Spalletti doesn't necessarily have to use the same methods, but as far as juggling domestic and continental duties go, the gospel of consistency cannot be over-preached.

Inter Milan are one of three Serie A teams off to a concerning start (add AS Roma, multiply by Lazio) in 2018/19. Four points from its opening three games -defeat to Sassuolo, disappointing draw with Torino, before breaking the jinx with a 3-0 victory at Bologna.

Bologna FC v FC Internazionale - Serie A

There was no better way to go into the International break, but Luciano Spalletti, albeit satisfied with the Nerazzurri's first win of the season, expressed his discontent in a post-match interview with Sky Sport Italia;

“With players of this talent, we need to win games.

"Of course, we know from our past that it doesn’t necessarily translate that way. We must find our balance and ignore everything around us to get the results.

“Some of our players need to find their fitness levels, as you need quality and names to win, but also hard work and sweat on the field.

The bald tactician doesn't sound like a manager under any sort of illusions, and when he talked about the "need to win games", the 59-year-old was merely stating the obvious.

Like a man well aware of the implications of jail term, the Nerazzurri boss knows that to compete with the likes of Barcelona, Tottenham, and PSV -at the same time you're trying to keep up with the madness on the Peninsula- requires an addiction that dwells upon getting results, learning to win ugly and leaving your heart on the pitch.

On resumption of duties after the break, first up for Inter is the hosting of Parma Calcio - a side who caused Juventus all sorts of problems on matchday one. After that, Sampdoria, Fiorentina, Cagliari, SPAL and of course, the first Derby della Madonnina of the season.

As far as results are concerned, it's going to be quite the test for Internazionale, but if I Nerazzurri's Champions League campaign is going to remotely resemble what we saw eight years ago, Luciano Spalletti's men must stay hungry, organized and consistent.

The sort of consistency that kept them miles ahead of Juventus, Napoli, and Roma in the first half of 2017/18, is the exact kind of drug Spalletti's men need in what will be a campaign of hard knocks.

In the Champions League Group stages, Inter possesses the quality to give it to their opponents like no man's business, but the fluidity and team chemistry of Barcelona and Tottenham could prove overwhelming for a side still considered by many as "a work in progress".

Although the acquisition of Radja Nainggolan, Keita Balde, Sime Vrsaljko, Lautaro Martinez, Kwado Asamoah, Stefan de Vrij and Matteo Politano mirrors Jose Mourinho's addition of Wesley Sneijder, Samuel Eto'O, Diego Milito, Lucio, Goran Pandev and Thiago Motta to the squad he inherited in 2008; the integration and engineering required to maximize this depth of talent depends largely on the effectiveness of Spalletti's methods.

Three days after hosting Parma, La Beneamata faces Tottenham in a highly anticipated clash at the Giuseppe Meazza. October 2010 comes to mind, but the days of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael Van der Vaart are over; Pochettino's men have since evolved into a constant in the Champions League, something that could work to their advantage.

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham - Premier League

Defensively, Inter struggled against Sassuolo and Torino, and although they did manage a clean sheet in the 3-0 defeat of Bologna, the prospect of Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij up against the predatory quartet of Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Son Heung-Min and Harry Kane leaves much to the imagination -nothing has been said of Barcelona yet.

Yet, at the end of the day, it's only speculation. Luciano Spalletti possesses the necessary tools to cause opponents all sorts of problems, and the only thing standing between Inter and a fulfilling campaign is a psychological discipline and tactical mastery that became the hallmark of Jose Mourinho's triumphant Nerazzurri.